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Episode Guide

Précis

Dr. Daniel Jackson comes to do research into the history of the Atlantian Ancient Janus who built a timeship in a puddle jumper 10,000 years ago. During his visit, a new enemy in the galaxy gets revealed.

Transcript

I don't know what all the fuss is about. If we do this every time someone comes for a visit, we'd never get any work done.

SHEPPARD
We're just meeting him at the 'gate.

MCKAY
We're not just meeting him at the 'gate! I've been pulled from my regular duties to help him with his "database research." I've got stuff on the go, you know—important, vital projects for the-the betterment of the human race.

SHEPPARD
Apparently there are other people doing equally important work, Rodney, as hard as that is to believe.

INT—ATLANTIS GATE ROOM

[Sheppard and McKay join Woolsey in front of the Stargate.]

WOOLSEY
An exciting day!

SHEPPARD
Absolutely.

MCKAY

(grumbling)

Yeah.

CHUCK

(calling from control room balcony)

He's ready to beam!

WOOLSEY
Very well.

[Daniel Jackson beams down in front of the Stargate. He is dressed in civilian clothes and carries two bags. He wears an elated smile.]

DANIEL
No, not quite. I'm sure you're both familiar with the Ancient named Janus?

WOOLSEY
The inventor?

DANIEL
Yes, he was their lead scientist and apparently a bit of a renegade.

MCKAY
Yeah, and I've been over all of his logs. Look, this is work we've done already.

DANIEL
Well, I'm pretty sure I have information that could lead us to his secret lab.

[McKay stops walking and turns to face Daniel.]

MCKAY

(dubious)

Secret lab?

DANIEL
Yes, a place where he conducted and subsequently hid a significant portion of his unauthorized research. And if I'm correct, it's right here…on Atlantis.

[McKay exchanges looks with Woolsey.]

INT—MCKAY'S LAB

[Daniel pours over a computer. McKay sits beside him, his head leaning on one arm, looking bored.]

MCKAY
I've been over Janus's database entries with a fine-toothed comb. I never saw any mention of a secret lab.

DANIEL
Janus was doing a lot of work that wasn't exactly approved by the Ancient Council, so it's not hard to imagine he wouldn't include a full accounting in this very public database. I mean, do you include all of your research in your official reports?

MCKAY
Just get to the point.

DANIEL
Okay. He never talked about it in his entries, but several of Janus's peers suspected he had a "bastion of unfettered thought and experimentation." Or, as one of his lovers put it—

MCKAY
He had lovers?

DANIEL
"An isle of solitude within the city walls."

MCKAY
Well, that could just mean he was hard to talk to! People say things like that about me all the time!

DANIEL
Now, none of these writers had any idea where the lab could be, but one of his young assistants recalls a day where Janus turned a corner down a hallway.

MCKAY

(sarcastic)

Oh! "Today, I saw Janus in the hallway." There's a real page turner.

DANIEL

(ignoring McKay)

He chased after him with a question about his work, but when he rounded the corner, Janus was gone. The hallway was a dead-end. He had seemingly disappeared, and I think, into his secret lab.

MCKAY

(intrigued)

Well, did this assistant happen to mention…

DANIEL
…which hallway? Yes, he does.

MCKAY
Hmm. Well…

[McKay pulls the computer into his lap.]

DANIEL

(smug)

Yeah.

MCKAY
Hmm.

INT—ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Sheppard and Woolsey walk down a corridor. Woolsey carries a duffel bag.]

WOOLSEY
As soon as the Daedalus unloads its supplies, we'll be heading off to meet up with Todd and one of his hives.

SHEPPARD
You really think he's going to show up, huh? And let you guys try out Doctor Keller's gene therapy on a few of his guys?

WOOLSEY
Well, we held up our end of the deal. We let him use Teyla to take control of an alliance of Wraith hives.

SHEPPARD
That's what I'm saying. He's got what he wants. I should go with you, because I have a relationship with Todd—

WOOLSEY
That is precisely why I don't want you there… This mission is basically going to be a negotiation, and Todd has, well, less baggage with me than he does with you.

SHEPPARD

(frustrated)

Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't take the lead on this, I'm just…

WOOLSEY

(firmly)

You're second-in-command here, Colonel.

[They stop at the foot of a staircase.]

WOOLSEY
I know my predecessors played fast and loose with many of the rules set forth by the IOA, but protocol plainly states that in the rare instance where I am required to leave Atlantis, you stay put. You're in command here until I get back. Understood?

[Sheppard rolls his eyes and twitches, but nods.]

SHEPPARD
Okay.

WOOLSEY

(smiling)

Try not to blow her up while I'm gone.

[Woolsey starts up a staircase.]

SHEPPARD
No promises.

[Woolsey pauses and spins, watching Sheppard walk away.]

INT—ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

[Keller supervises an aide packing a case.]

KELLER
Yeah, I think this should be the last of it.

[The aide nods and leaves with the bag. Ronon enters.]

RONON
Hey.

KELLER
Hi! I was, uh, just leaving.

RONON
Yeah, I know. Here, let me get that.

[He grabs a bag as she reaches for it.]

KELLER
Thanks.

RONON
So you're going on this Daedalus thing?

KELLER
Yeah, Uh…

[Keller reaches for another duffle, and Ronon snatches it before she can touch it.]

RONON
Un-uh.

KELLER
Thank you. I kinda have to. I'm the one that's gonna be administering the treatment…if, you know, we ever get to that point.

[They begin walking.]

INT—ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

RONON
Right. I think I should come with you on this.

KELLER
Really? Why?

RONON
I don't really trust these guys.

KELLER
You don't trust Todd and his Wraith? Or…the entire crew of the Daedalus to protect me if something goes wrong?

RONON
I don't know. Both I guess.

[Keller stifles a chuckle.]

RONON
What?

KELLER
Nothing.

RONON
What?

KELLER

(laughing)

Nothing, nothing. It'd be great to have the company.

RONON
Okay.

[They see Daniel and McKay walking nearby.]

KELLER
Bye, Rodney. Wish us luck.

MCKAY

(absently)
Good luck.
(stopping short)

What do you mean "us"?

[He watches Keller and Ronon walk through another door, Ronon shooting McKay a sly grin as he walks by. Daniel doubles back and stands over McKay's shoulder.]

DANIEL
Rod? You wanna?

[He thumbs down the hallway and tries to lead McKay that way. McKay distractedly follows.]

INT—ATLANTIS ABANDONED CORRIDOR

[Daniel and McKay enter a corridor that lights up as they enter.]

DANIEL
Is that a water line up there?

MCKAY
Yeah, this section of the city flooded the first year we were here. Anything salvageable got moved to the main tower.

DANIEL
Well, it's remote. That's promising. He wouldn't want anyone around when he came in and out of his lab.

MCKAY

(excited)

Ooh, like the Batcave!

DANIEL

(drily)

Yes…just like the Batcave.

MCKAY
Well, I'm not picking up anything unusual…

[Daniel pauses and looks at a small rectangular opening on one of the wall beams.]

DANIEL
Something used to be attached here.

[McKay stands by another one.]

MCKAY
Hmph. And here.

[Daniel notices one in the beam between the ones he and McKay already indicated.]

DANIEL
And another one. Any idea what they are?

MCKAY

(unimpressed)

Looks like a run-of-the-mill sconce interface.

DANIEL
Right. Well…where are the sconces?

MCKAY
I don't know. Maybe the decorator changed his mind.

[Daniel raises his eyebrows dubiously.]

DANIEL
You said after the flood, anything worth salvaging was moved to the main tower. Now, please tell me you kept detailed records of what was found and where.

MCKAY
Did we keep detailed records? Who are you talking to here?

EXT—ATLANTIS

[Changing the view from the corridor off a pier up to the central tower.]

INT—MCKAY'S LAB

[McKay and Daniel flip through camera footage of the base on a large monitor.]

DANIEL
There! That-that's the hallway! Can you, uh, can you zoom in there?

[McKay rolls his eyes at Daniel but zooms into the part he points to on the picture. Three light fixtures sit on the floor.]

MCKAY
There. There are your light fixtures.

DANIEL
They must've been knocked loose during the flood.

MCKAY
Possibly.

DANIEL
But you salvaged them, right?

MCKAY
They're lights that fell to the ground during a flood. It's not like they're gonna—

DANIEL

(with tight smile)

Just…humor me, okay? I think we're on to something.

MCKAY

(sighing)

All right.

EXT—ATLANTIS, DAY

[The view changes from the tower to a building on another pier.]

INT—ATLANTIS STORAGE ROOM

[Daniel and McKay search through shelves storing all sorts of containers.]

MCKAY
Here they are. I've got 'em.

[Daniel comes over to the case that McKay opens. The three light fixtures are packed in foam.]

EXT—ATLANTIS, DAY

[The view changes from the storage building over to the far pier and the abandoned corridor.]

INT—ATLANTIS ABANDONED CORRIDOR

[Daniel finishes putting in the last sconce. It makes humming tone as it lights up. McKay looks puzzled.]

DANIEL
That's odd. Each of these three lights made a different tone when I plugged them in. Does that…usually happen around here?

MCKAY

(slowly)

Not usually, no.

[Daniel taps each sconce. Each one plays a different tone.]

MCKAY
Well, they've been banged around a lot, underwater for a few days. Maybe they're just broken.

DANIEL
No, it's a puzzle. I think we need to activate these in a specific order.

MCKAY

(scoffing)

What, you mean like a three digit code? You know how easy that would be to break? There's only six variations.

DANIEL

(impatient)

Well, maybe we need to activate them a number of times in a specific order. I don't suppose you recognize any of these three notes?

MCKAY

(sarcastic)

What, you mean like, does it remind me of Janus's favorite Brian Eno track? No. No such luck.

DANIEL
Well, Janus's assistant said he disappeared pretty quickly down the hallway, so it can't be a long code. Maybe it's just as simple as three tones in a row.

MCKAY
Go for it.

[Bored, McKay wanders further down the hall while Daniel plays with variations of the order of the tones, waiting for something to happen. McKay pauses at the end of the hall, pressing against the wall and looking puzzled.]

MCKAY
Hold on for a second.

DANIEL
What is it?

MCKAY
Come here and push against this wall.

DANIEL
Why?

MCKAY
Please, just…humor me. I think I'm onto something.

[Daniel and McKay switch places.]

MCKAY
Okay, on the count of three, I want you to push against the wall as hard as you can, okay?

DANIEL
Okay.

MCKAY
Okay, one…two…three.

[Daniel shoves against the wall. McKay taps each sconce as he walks by left to right, each tone becoming slightly higher. Daniel falls through the wall.]

DANIEL

(muffled)

Oof!

[He disappears from view. McKay stares at the blank wall.]

MCKAY
Son of a bitch.

[He touches the three lights again, walking steadily down the hall and through the wall as the tones still ring.]

INT—JANUS'S LAB

[McKay walks into the darkened lab. Daniel is still lying on the floor where he fell, looking dazed.]

DANIEL
Ow.

[McKay kneels next to Daniel.]

MCKAY
Controlled magnetic harmonic resonance.

DANIEL
What?

MCKAY
Apparently Tesla was close to something like this before Edison trashed his lab.

[Daniel shakes his head as if to clear his vision.]

DANIEL
What are you talking about?

MCKAY
That wall was specially designed to destabilize when bombarded with a very specific harmonic resonance. That's what the tones were! And the strong magnetic property of the particles is what keeps the door from just crumbling into dust. It's a great way to hide a door, because, you know, if you're looking for a door to open, it's never going to be found. It's like a hologram, only better because it-it's solid mass until the tones are playing.

DANIEL

(drily)

Right, so you could've just told me to walk through the door when you did it.

MCKAY
I could have, yes.

DANIEL
Yes, yes.

[He rolls his eyes and stands.]

DANIEL
Where the hell are we?

[Once they're both standing, the monitors and consoles in the room all light up, illuminating many devices and control consoles.]

DANIEL

(awed)

Wow.

MCKAY

(excited)

Janus's secret lab!

[They move to one of the consoles to study it. Neither notices a small console with a red light blinking.]

EXT—SPACE

[An icy planet floats in space.]

INT—ANCIENT LAB ON PLANET

[A red light blinks on a console filled with Ancient crystals. A few moments later all the crystals light up, and monitors come to life near them. An alien wearing armor and a helmet watches.]

ALIEN
Alert the others. The device has been activated.

EXT—SPACE

[Daedalus flies through hyperspace.]

INT—DAEDALUS MESS HALL

[Woolsey sits at a table, going over notes. Keller grabs a water bottle from the supply table and spots him.]

KELLER
Hey, Mr. Woolsey.

WOOLSEY

Doctor Keller.
(looking around)

Where's your burly protector? It's odd to see you without him, nowadays.

KELLER

(smiling)

He's…in the lab. What're you working on?

WOOLSEY
A speech.

KELLER
What for?

WOOLSEY
Well, this is a…fairly momentous occasion. The Wraith will take a step forward, not only for their own benefit, but for that of the entire galaxy. It's an historic day. I just think it deserves some…recognition.

KELLER
Well, what have you got so far?

WOOLSEY
"Today is an historic day…"

[He looks up and bites his lip.]

KELLER

(weakly)

It's a…good place to start.

WOOLSEY
Well, it's a work in progress.

[They exchange awkward looks and Keller leaves.]

INT—JANUS'S LAB

[Sheppard steps through the wall. The room is filled with scientists studying the devices. Daniel studies one console and large monitor. McKay looks up when Sheppard enters.]

SHEPPARD
Whoa. That's pretty cool.

MCKAY
Harmonic resonance.

SHEPPARD
Yeah, I was told. But what happens if the sound goes off and you're in the middle of the…wall?

MCKAY
Well, the wall would break apart your body.

SHEPPARD
Maybe we should, uh—

MCKAY
I've set up a sub-sonic tone generator outside. The wall is now permanently open. Don't worry.

SHEPPARD
Good. So what do we got?

DANIEL
Well, the good news is it's definitely Janus's secret lab; the bad news is getting in was the easy part.

MCKAY
There are levels of encryption on all of the data here that even the most paranoid NSA agent wouldn't use. I mean, it is deep.

[Daniel walks over to join them. He sits beside Rodney.]

DANIEL
Some of them are straight up math ciphers while others are Ancient knowledge puzzles.

MCKAY
And until we start deciphering, there's no way to tell what any of this stuff does.

SHEPPARD
Sounds like you guys make a good team, though.

[Daniel looks up, disturbed, while McKay shifts uncomfortably.]

MCKAY

(noncommittally)

Mmm.

DANIEL

(drily)

Yeah.

SHEPPARD
Well, I guess I'll go back to being the boss.

MCKAY
How's that going?

SHEPPARD
Pretty boring, actually.

MCKAY

Well, you're more than welcome to help us crack this first stream cipher.
(to Daniel)

[He sniffs and fights to look alert. Daniel becomes alert and puts his glasses back on.]

DANIEL
Seriously? I-i-is everything a competition with you?

MCKAY
I'm not sure what you're talking about.

DANIEL

(incredulous)

I-I just found you a secret lab full of really cool Ancient stuff. I kind of thing that should score me some points here!

MCKAY
Okay, I will admit that I may have been a little brusque with you up until now.

DANIEL
Just a little.

MCKAY
But the truth is, I really didn't think you were going to find anything!

DANIEL
Well, that much I actually understand.

MCKAY
You do?

DANIEL
Yeah. I've…spent the majority of my professional life being ridiculed for my theories—most of which turned out to be correct, by the way. I'm kinda used to it, Rodney.

[McKay slumps back in his chair and sighs.]

MCKAY
Doesn't that bother you? I mean, no vindication, no recognition, no…credit?

DANIEL
Well, I could say the same thing about you. The discoveries you've made, you…probably could've won the Nobel Prize five times over by now.

MCKAY

(relaxing)

Too true. So, I guess none of us signed up to get famous, huh?

DANIEL

(deadpan)

No, we did it for the money.

[Daniel grins. McKay snickers.]

MCKAY

Good one.
(sobering)

Wait a minute—you don't get paid more than I do, do you?

[Daniel blinks, rolls his eyes at McKay, and sighs.]

MCKAY
Do you?

EXT—ATLANTIS OCEAN, NIGHT

[An alien ship drops out of hyperspace close to the ocean's surface and flies over the waves.]

INT—ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Chuck sits with his feet propped, reading a book, "The Martian General's Daughter" by Theodore Judson. He notices an alert on his console and drops the book.]

CHUCK
Hyperspace window just opened!

BANKSDaedalus isn't due back yet.

[She comes over to his display. It shows an unrecognized IFF.]

BANKS
Get Sheppard.

INT—SHEPPARD'S QUARTERS

[Sheppard sleeps in his bed, fully dressed and on top of the covers, an open book on his stomach.]

CHUCK

(over intercom)

Colonel Sheppard, sir?

[Sheppard jolts awake.]

SHEPPARD

(groggily)

Yeah, uh, I'm just resting my eyes.

[He looks around the empty room.]

SHEPPARD

(more alert)

Who said that?

CHUCK

(over intercom)

I patched into the P.A. in your room, sir. You're going to want to get up here.

[Sheppard puts the book down and gets up.]

EXT—ATLANTIS OCEAN, NIGHT

[The alien ship continues to fly low. Landing struts pull out as the ship nears the city of Atlantis.]

INT—ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Sheppard rushes in. Everyone is watching Chuck's station, alert.]

SHEPPARD
What's going on?

BANKS
We're tracking a small ship in atmosphere. It's coming right for us.

SHEPPARD
Get the jumpers in the air.

BANKS
It's closing fast, sir. It'll be here in less than ten seconds.

[A display shows the bogey closing on the city.]

SHEPPARD
Shields up. I still want the jumpers ready.

[Chuck complies.]

EXT—ATLANTIS, NIGHT

[The shield forms and surrounds the city.]

INT—ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

BANKS
Here it comes.

[They watch the display as the alien ship reaches Atlantis through the shield and then moves into the city over one of the far piers.]

BANKS
That's impossible.

SHEPPARD
Well, wh-what did it just do?

CHUCK
It passed through the shield.

SHEPPARD
Yeah, but how did it do that?

BANKS

(worried)

I'm not sure, sir…Ancient ships can do it.

[They watch as the ship remains hovering at the pier section.]

SHEPPARD
All right, tell Teyla and a team of marines to meet me at that pier.

[Banks moves to her computer.]

EXT—ATLANTIS, NIGHT

[The alien ship hovers over the pier, sitting within the shields of Atlantis. At the bow of the ship, a circular opening forms on the lower side. Three aliens drop in free-fall from the ship, then use small thrusters on their boots to slow and land on an upper balcony to one of the buildings.]

INT—ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Three aliens, all in the heavy armor and helmets, walk determinedly through the corridor. Each has a large metal plate strapped to its back.]

INT—ANOTHER ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Sheppard comes out of a transporter running and holding a rifle. Teyla and a squad of marines come running from another corridor to join him.]

INT—ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

BANKS

(nervous)

They should be right in front of you.

INT—ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[The aliens take the metal plates off their backs and attach them to each other on the floor, forming a large disc. They attach a small round device to its center and twist the control. The disc lights up and makes a humming noise. The aliens step onto it as Sheppard's team arrives.]

SHEPPARD
Don't move!

[One of the aliens touches a control on its breastplate. A domed shield comes up from the disc, protecting the aliens as Sheppard's team opens fire. The shielded disc drops through the floor, leaving a large hole in its place.]

[Sheppard's team stops firing and approaches the hole. The disk has moved down at least six floors and is continuing its descent. Some Atlantis expedition members can be seen in other floors looking through the holes on their floors in puzzlement.]

SHEPPARD
What's at the bottom of this tower?

[Teyla looks at him, clearly worried.]

TEYLA

(tightly)

Rodney.

INT—ATLANTIS ABANDONED CORRIDOR

[The aliens reach the bottom floor and the corridor outside Janus's laboratory. Two march towards the far wall. One remains behind, guarding the disc and watching for resistance.]

INT—ATLANTIS CORRIDOR

[Sheppard, Teyla and the marines race to a transporter.]

SHEPPARD

(into radio)

Rodney, this is Sheppard! Come in!

INT—JANUS'S LAB

[Daniel and McKay continue to work on the consoles in an unhurried manner.]

SHEPPARD

(over radio)

Rodney!

MCKAY

(into radio, unconcerned)

What's up?

INT—ATLANTIS CORRIDOR, OUTSIDE TRANSPORTER

[The team pile into the transporter.]

SHEPPARD
Get out of there, right now!

INT—JANUS'S LAB

MCKAY

(into radio, worried)

Why?

[He and Daniel both stand, alert and concerned at Sheppard's tone, as the two aliens walk through the wall-door. The aliens stun them both with an energy weapon. One alien grabs the device with the red blinking light off the table. They ignore the other equipment.]

INT—ATLANTIS ABANDONED CORRIDOR

[Sheppard's team arrives. The alien punches a button on its arm and a yellow force field appears. He holds his arm as if grasping a shield while Sheppard's team fires. The bullets don't get through, but the alien appears to be struggling to hold his ground. The two aliens return from Janus's lab. One carries the device. The other drags the unconscious bodies of McKay and Daniel behind him, holding each of them by one arm.]

[While the third alien continues to block the gunfire with the shield, the other two step onto the disc, the one holding Daniel and McKay by their collars, lifting the limp bodies so they're upright. The dome shield encompasses the two aliens and their booty. It levitates up through the hole in the ceiling, leaving their compatriot to fall as the force field fails and the alien is hit by multiple bullet wounds.]

EXT—ATLANTIS, NIGHT

[The domed disc flies up through the tower levels straight into the sky and into the waiting opening of the alien ship. The ship closes its door and immediately flies off, flying across the city and through the shield without difficulty. It jumps into hyperspace while still in the planet's atmosphere.]

INT—ATLANTIS ABANDONED CORRIDOR

[Sheppard's team warily approach the downed alien and look up through the hole.]

SHEPPARD

(keying radio)

Control room, what's the status of that ship?

INT—ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

BANKS
I'm sorry, Colonel. They're gone.

[They stare at the monitor displaying "contact lost".]

INT—ATLANTIS ABANDONED CORRIDOR

[Sheppard and Teyla look very worried.]

EXT—ATLANTIS, DAWN

INT—ATLANTIS ABANDONED CORRIDOR

[Zelenka and a science team joins Sheppard's team.]

ZELENKA
Is it alive?

SHEPPARD
You tell me.

[Zelenka runs his scanner over the alien.]

ZELENKA
No. I'm not getting any coherent readings. Perhaps we should put it under a medical scanner.

SHEPPARD
Okay. Do it.

ZELENKA

(to scientist)

Go get a gurney.

[The scientist hurries away. Zelenka looks up at the circular hole in the ceiling and purses his lips.]

[Daniel helps McKay to his feet, patting him on the back. They are both trapped in a dark room. The cell is made up of several green laser beams horizontally running in a triangle shape.]

DANIEL
We were attacked!

MCKAY
That much I got. Thanks. By who?

DANIEL
I was kinda hoping you could tell me.

MCKAY
Okay, there is no way this is a coincidence. I mean, we discover Janus's super-secret lab, and less than twenty-four hours later, a bunch of aliens show up all guns blazing? Don't you think that's a little odd?

DANIEL

(slowly)

Now that you mention it…

[He shrugs in agreement.]

INT—ATLANTIS ABANDONED CORRIDOR

[The scientist team wheels the alien away. Zelenka remains with Sheppard and Teyla.]

SHEPPARD
They knew exactly what they were looking for. They didn't waste any time, went straight for the lab.

TEYLA
When they came out, one of them was carrying a device.

INT—JANUS'S LAB

[The trio enter the lab.]

ZELENKA
Unfortunately, we haven't had nearly enough time to go through everything we found in here, so there's no way of knowing exactly what they took.

SHEPPARD
All this stuff came on when Rodney and Doctor Jackson came in here?

MCKAY
We've come across them before. They're a-a real-time practically instantaneous link between two Ancient devices. They can be separated by like, half a galaxy.

INT—JANUS'S LAB

SHEPPARD
There's a bunch of aliens out there. They-they stumble upon an Ancient lab, probably built by Janus himself. It's dormant. It's not working. Then one day, out of the blue, it…activates.

INT—ALIEN PRISON CELL

MCKAY
So they're standing around, they're scratching their heads, they have no idea what's going on. Then they discover the subspace link.

INT—JANUS'S LAB

SHEPPARD
They decide to follow it. They trace it back to us.

ZELENKA

(dubious)

And then attack us and take two of our people hostage?

TEYLA
Rodney and Doctor Jackson were not the targets.

SHEPPARD
They were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever that device was, that's what they were after.

INT—ALIEN PRISON CELL

DANIEL
All right, good theory. So what do we do?

MCKAY
Well, we-we gotta get out of here.

[McKay starts looking at the laser beams.]

DANIEL
We're probably on a ship traveling through hyperspace, where are we gonna go?

MCKAY
I'll think of something.

DANIEL
Really?

MCKAY
Yep. Always do.

[McKay reaches out and touches one of the beams. It zaps his finger with a violent hum.]

MCKAY
Ow!

DANIEL
Oh yeah, I tried that. They, uh, zap you when you touch them.

MCKAY

(annoyed)

You could have told me that before I touched it!

DANIEL

(blandly)

I could have. Yes.

[McKay glowers at Daniel.]

DANIEL
Look, they stripped us of everything but the clothing on our backs and surrounded us with laser walls. I'm not sure how much play we have here.

MCKAY
We've got one thing going for us at least.

DANIEL
What's that?

MCKAY
We're not dead yet.

DANIEL
Good point.

INT—ATLANTIS INFIRMARY

[Zelenka operates the Ancient scanner as the alien lies on the bed below. Teyla and Sheppard stand nearby.]

ZELENKA

(sighing)

It's no good. I'm still not getting any useful readings. The suit is emitting some sort of E.M. field that's disrupting the scanner. I…have no idea how to shut it off.

SHEPPARD
There's no way to penetrate the shell and see what's under there?

TEYLA
Do you think there's a human underneath all that armor?

SHEPPARD
Impossible to say. It could be a robot.

ZELENKA
One thing's for sure—it's not like anything we've ever seen before.

TEYLA
Well, Doctor Weir did say that there were other technologically advanced societies that we have yet to encounter.

SHEPPARD
We've just made first contact.

ZELENKA
What do you want me to do?

[Sheppard steps over to look at the alien.]

SHEPPARD
Cut it open.

[Later, Zelenka uses a power-saw to try to slice open the breastplate. Another scientist, wearing goggles like Zelenka, holds the alien's head in place. Sheppard and Teyla stand nearby. The saw whirs with a higher and higher pitched whine. Zelenka finally shuts it down and lifts his goggles to study the saw.]

ZELENKA
Ach! It's no good. I just dulled out the blade!

[Sheppard bites his lip and studies the alien.]

SHEPPARD
The neck.

ZELENKA
What?

SHEPPARD
It looks like the softest part. Try the neck.

[Zelenka backs off.]

ZELENKA

(stammering)

But…

TEYLA
It's already dead, Radek.

ZELENKA
We think.

SHEPPARD
Just do it.

[He re-dons his goggles and takes his re-bladed saw back from his aide. The aide holds the head while Zelenka starts sawing at the neck.]

ZELENKA
It's working!

[Zelenka notices a small light blinking on the breastplate. He stops his saw. There is a beeping with the blinking.]

ZELENKA
Uh-oh…

SHEPPARD
Get out. Everyone. Get out!

[Everyone runs out of the room, taking cover in the corridor outside just before the alien self-destructs in a fiery explosion.]

MCKAY
Right. And I don't get think we're gonna get any more info from Talky McSays-a-Lot out there, so, uh, fire up these consoles. See what we're dealing with.

[Daniel reaches for a control.]

MCKAY

(abruptly)

Not like that.

[Daniel pulls his hand back. McKay studies the controls.]

MCKAY
Um…let's see. Yeah. Like that.

[McKay reaches past Daniel and flips the control Daniel was first going to touch. He then reaches down to the controls directly in front of Daniel.]

MCKAY
And then I need to be right there. Yeah.

[Daniel stands exasperated, and resigned.]

EXT—ATLANTIS, DAY

INT—ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Banks and Sheppard walk up the steps from the Gate Room to the Control Room.]

BANKS
We've got five jumpers in the air, flying a defensive formation around the city, and have the chair fired up and ready for you at a moment's notice.

SHEPPARD
I want marine details every five levels, locked and loaded, ready for my go ahead, just in case.

BANKS
Absolutely.

[Banks parts ways with Sheppard who joins Zelenka at his console.]

ZELENKA
Colonel, I think I may have something. I've been working under the assumption that, as you suggested, the device they took must have been broadcasting some sort of subspace communication.

SHEPPARD
You can trace it?

ZELENKA
Well, yeah, if it was broadcasting from Atlantis, yes. But obviously it's not doing that anymore.

SHEPPARD
So…?

ZELENKA
So…well, I'm using the work of Lazlo Babai as a stepping stone. You know, combinatorics and um…no offense, but the math I'm using is so complicated I don't know if I can dumb it down enough for it to make sense.

SHEPPARD

(threateningly)

Try.

ZELENKA

(gulping)

All right, well, okay, I-I've been going over our recorded subspace logs, and I'm trying to extrapolate the single thread that will lead us to the area of space associated with the device.

SHEPPARD
Well, I understand that.

ZELENKA
Yes. It doesn't accurately represent what I'm doing, but…

[He shrugs.]

SHEPPARD

(impatient)

I get it. What you're doing is difficult. Just…tell me when you get a hit.

[Sheppard walks away. Zelenka sighs and gets back to work.]

INT—ANCIENT LAB

[McKay bites his thumb and looks through a window at a device in a shielded chamber. He steps back to the console. Daniel is at the other console.]

DANIEL
This facility is tapped into some pretty serious power generation. I've never seen anything like it before.

MCKAY

(half to himself)

You'd need a lot of power…

DANIEL
What?

MCKAY
I think I know what this thing does.

DANIEL
What?

MCKAY
It's an endgame machine.

DANIEL

(cautiously)

How so?

MCKAY
If it works the way I think it does, it would mean the end of the Wraith once and for all!

[Daniel stares at McKay in shock.]

DANIEL
So, how do you destroy the Wraith once and for all?

MCKAY
Well, I never said "destroy", I mean…it would lead to that, I suppose. But…this device would stop them dead in their tracks.

DANIEL
How?

[McKay walks over to Daniel's console.]

MCKAY
It creates a very specific subspace static. Uh, turbulence is probably a better way of looking at it.

DANIEL
Which…?

MCKAY
Okay, look. Um, although they're all based on a fairly similar technological premise, each race has a slightly different type of hyperdrive. Ours are based on the Asgard drives with their own little twist. The Ancients had their own particular system. And the Wraith, again, have their own separate hyperdrive technology.

DANIEL
All right.

MCKAY
Okay, so at its base level, a hyperdrive allows you to travel great distances by entering and exiting subspace.

DANIEL

(impatient)

Okay. This much I already know. Yes.

[McKay and Daniel walk back to the other console.]

MCKAY
Okay, so if this machine is capable of actually functioning safely, it disrupts the very specific subspace frequencies the Wraith use.

DANIEL
So they wouldn't be able to engage their hyperdrive.

MCKAY
Well that's the genius. They would be able to engage their hyperdrive. It's just that their particular channel of subspace would be destabilized, and the ship would be ripped into a million pieces.

DANIEL
When this device is turned on, every time a Wraith ship enters hyperspace, it self-destructs?

MCKAY
Yeah.

DANIEL
That's a pretty effective idea.

MCKAY
Yeah. I mean, because, even if word got back to the other Wraith that the ships should stop using their hyperdrives, they'd be stuck where they were. They'd only be able to travel using sub-light engines.

DANIEL
Because an Ancient ship's hyperdrive operates on a different frequency of subspace, the Ancients could fly around the galaxy and pick them off one by one.

MCKAY
Yeah, or just…leave them to die in the vastness of space.

DANIEL
So, what's the catch?

[McKay turns back to the other console. Daniel follows him.]

MCKAY
Ah, well, the catch is that Janus ran a three-day test about…ten thousand years ago and then, shut the whole project down because of "unforeseen side effects."

DANIEL
Right. Which were…?

[McKay pulls up a screen on the Ancient lab monitor.]

MCKAY
Well, it-it's not clear. But, that's the key to the whole shebang.

[He points to the device the aliens took from Janus's lab.]

MCKAY
I mean, Janus brought that back with him to Atlantis but kept it connected to the main system here. One won't work without the other.

DANIEL
Well, they seem pretty convinced we can make it operational.

MCKAY
That's because we probably can. I mean, we have everything we need here. The question is, whether we should. The last time I went down this road, I…I kinda destroyed a solar system.

DANIEL
Yeah, and I'm not too keen about experiencing those "unforeseen side effects."

MCKAY
So, what do we do?

DANIEL
It's simple. We, uh…we…reason with them.

MCKAY

(deflating)

Oh.

[Later, the alien stands listening to Daniel. McKay looks uncertain at this tactic.]

DANIEL
Now, obviously you're excited over the possibility of ending the Wraith's reign over this galaxy once and for all. But, uh, the reality is, this device and this facility were abandoned by their creator for very good reasons. See, uh, it doesn't work…at least, not safely. That's from what my friend can tell.

[McKay waves weakly. The alien doesn't respond.]

DANIEL
Look, we share the same goal. Perhaps we have many things in common.

[The alien still does not answer. Daniel looks to McKay then back.]

DANIEL
Look, given the right amount of time it's possible we could get the device to function safely, but, uh, we'd have to contact our people and bring in a much larger science team. See, I'm-I'm-I'm not that kind of scientist, and, and what my friend here—

[Daniel points to McKay but the alien interrupts, turning to McKay.]

ALIEN
Get the device operational within one hour, or I will kill him. Do you understand?

MCKAY

(meekly)

I understand, yes.

[The alien leaves.]

MCKAY

(sarcastic)

Great plan, Danny! Great plan!

[McKay moves to one of the consoles. Daniel remains in place, putting his hands in his pockets and musing.]

DANIEL
Why the suits?

MCKAY
Huh?

DANIEL
Well, they're not in battle anymore. Originally I thought it was just their version of SWAT gear, but…they still have it on. Maybe they're more than just armor; maybe they're some sort of protective suit. Maybe they can't function in our livable atmosphere.

MCKAY

(impatient)

Maybe we should just add it to the list of things that have nothing to do with the task at hand.

DANIEL
Those suits might be the key to figuring out who these guys really are.

MCKAY

(petulant)

Well, you work on understanding them, I'll work on trying not to get us killed.

[McKay works at a console. Daniel stays deep in thought.]

EXT—ATLANTIS, DAY

INT—ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Sheppard enters.]

SHEPPARD
Well, you got something for me?

ZELENKA
Yes. M6H-987. That's my best guess.

SHEPPARD
Are you sure?

ZELENKA
Well, about 80% sure.

SHEPPARD
All right. Well, it's our only lead. It'll have to do. Doesn't happen to have a 'gate on it, does it?

ZELENKA
No.

SHEPPARD
Of course not. Daedalus still out of communications range?

ZELENKA
Yeah, I'm afraid so. And the rendezvous point with Todd isn't even near a Stargate.

SHEPPARD
I need to get to the jumper bay. Boost its subspace communications range as much as you can.

ZELENKA
What are you planning?

SHEPPARD
Well, we've got to get to that planet as soon as possible. We're gonna gate as near as we can to the Daedalus with a jumper. Have them pick us up en route to the planet.

ZELENKA
Okay. Give me half an hour.

[He starts typing. Sheppard heads out.]

SHEPPARD
I'm going to get the team ready.

INT—ANCIENT LAB

[McKay and Daniel look into the shielded chamber.]

MCKAY
That main chamber houses the subspace antenna.

DANIEL
It harnesses the static into subspace.

MCKAY
Well, it will once I light it up.

DANIEL

(surprised)

What? You're already ready?

[McKay walks back to the consoles. Daniel follows.]

MCKAY

Well, it wasn't broken! He just shut it down. All you need is that,
(points to device)

DANIEL
Look, if-if turning this thing on means a-a solar system is gonna explode, then let's…not.

MCKAY
They're going to kill you! We don't have a choice.

DANIEL
Yes, we do.

MCKAY
Okay, so I do nothing, they come in here, they kill you. Who gets killed next, huh? Me. To tell you the truth here, I'm quite fond of me. So we might as well do it, you know, now, while you're still alive as opposed to as opposed to, you know, then.

[Daniel rolls his eyes and shrugs, resigned.]

DANIEL
All right.

MCKAY
All right.

[McKay powers up the device.]

INT—ANCIENT SHIELDED CHAMBER

[The machine powers up. Lightning arcs spark around the room and the large machine glows with a blue light.]

INT—ANCIENT LAB

[McKay and Daniel turn and watch the light show through the small window.]

MCKAY

(weakly)

We still alive?

DANIEL

(quietly)

I think so. I'd hate to think heaven looks like this.

MCKAY
Who says we went to heaven?

[Daniel raises his eyebrows in consideration. McKay whimpers. They both step towards the console closer to the shield door.]

MCKAY
It's operational.

DANIEL
Anything out of the ordinary?

MCKAY

(chuckling, pleased)

No. Everything's in the green. I mean, it's working great.

DANIEL
What about those "unforeseen side effects"?

MCKAY
They're still unforeseen. For now, it's working, and we're still alive.

DANIEL
Okay, so, what now?

MCKAY

(hopefully)

Uh, maybe, uh, a nice pat on the back, and an all-expense paid trip back to Atlantis?

[Daniel raises his eyebrows and shoots McKay a skeptical look.]

MCKAY

(deflating)

Mmm.

EXT—SPACE

[Daedalus floats in space.]

INT—DAEDALUS BRIDGE

[Todd walks into the bridge escorted by two guards. Woolsey is there to meet him and hands him an earpiece.]

WOOLSEY
You have an urgent message from your hive. I assumed you'd want to take it privately.

[Todd takes the earpiece warily and steps forward from the bridge crew.]

TODD

(into radio)

Go ahead…Very well…Permission granted…I shall remain here.

CALDWELL
Is everything okay?

TODD

(grunting)

One of our facilities is under attack by a rival hive. Our two support ships must depart for battle. My hive will remain here, continue the work with Doctor Keller.

WOOLSEY

(smiling)

I'm glad to hear that.

[Todd and Caldwell both stare at Woolsey, incredulous.]

WOOLSEY
Oh! Not the under attack part. That's unfortunate, of course. I just meant…never mind.

[Todd turns to look out the forward viewscreen.]

EXT—SPACE

[Two hive ships break formation at the rendezvous and open a hyperspace window. As they try to enter hyperspace, they blast apart into dust.]

INT—DAEDALUS BRIDGE

CALDWELL

(alarmed)

Marks, what the hell just happened?

TODD

(horrified)

How did you do that?

WOOLSEY
How did we…?! Surely, you don't think we had anything to do with that—

TODD
You tricked me.

[He slowly turns, unobtrusively releasing a small bar from each sleeve.]

WOOLSEY
What?

TODD
This was your plan all along. Somehow, you've found the Attero device!

WOOLSEY
The what? We have no idea what you're—

[Todd connects the two activated bars. They emit a blast wave that stuns everyone on the bridge into unconsciousness. Todd steps to the commander's chair and activates the communicator.]

[The conversation switches between Todd's bridge, where his second in command, Kenny stands, and Todd on video screen at the Daedalus bridge.]

KENNY
Commander. We've been trying to contact you. The other cruisers were destroyed.

TODD
I know. We've been betrayed.

KENNY
What should we do?

TODD
I have control of the humans' transport system. I will begin beaming in our troops immediately.

[He sits down in the command chair.]

TODD
We're taking this ship.

INT—DAEDALUS CORRIDOR

[Ronon walks casually down a corridor. As he turns a corner, he sees several Wraith soldiers beam onto the ship. None face him. Ronon draws his gun and backs into an alcove, watching them march away. He heads down another corridor.]

INT—DAEDALUS SCIENCE LAB

[Keller works on her computer. Ronon backs into the room and hurries to her.]

RONON
Come on.

KELLER

(blankly)

What's going on?

RONON
We're under attack. We gotta get you to the armory and get you a gun. Come on.

[He drags her away. The computer monitor beeps that the experiment is complete.]

INT—DAEDALUS BRIDGE

[The unconscious Marks is dragged off of his seat by a Wraith. The rest of the bridge crew is laid out in the back area by the star chart. Wraith study the systems at various consoles while Todd activates the lockout protocol.]

INT—DAEDALUS CORRIDOR

[Ronon and Keller race down a corridor. The armory door seals shut just before Ronon reaches it.]

RONON
Augh! Locked!

[Keller turns to find the door sealing behind them.]

KELLER
Ronon!

[She frantically punches the key code next to the door, but it continues to lock her out. She turns back to Ronon and shakes her head.]

KELLER
We're locked in.

INT—DAEDALUS BRIDGE

[Todd finishes typing the lockout protocols.]

TODD
That should limit their movements. Continue beaming in our troops.

[He sits in the commander's chair as Wraith man the bridge stations.]

INT—ANCIENT LAB

[Daniel claps his hands and wanders over to McKay's console.]

DANIEL
Ten minutes and counting. Still no problem.

[McKay stares at the schematic diagram on the monitor and looks concerned.]

MCKAY
Oh boy…

DANIEL

(worried)

What? What is it?

MCKAY
I think I just found a log entry that tells us what the side effect is.

DANIEL
It's not…harmful radiation, is it?

[Daniel steps back from the console and clutches his hand.]

MCKAY
No. No, no, no. You and I are safe. It's the rest of the galaxy that's gonna have problems, including…Atlantis. I've got to shut this thing down.

[He starts frantically working the controls. The door opens and two aliens enter, aiming their weapons at McKay.]

ALIEN
Step away from the device.

[McKay continues to work the controls. One alien shoots him and he slumps to the floor. Daniel raises his hand in surrender.]

DANIEL
Okay. Wait-wait-wait-wait! Look, there's a very dangerous, very serious problem with the device. Now, we need to talk to your boss—

[The other alien shoots Daniel, and he collapses unconscious.]

INT—PUDDLE JUMPER

[Zelenka does a final check of the jumper crystals as Sheppard, Teyla, and a team of marines enter the jumper.]

ZELENKA
Okay. All set. So, I'll have Chuck dial M5R-179. You should be able to contact the Daedalus via subspace once you get there.

SHEPPARD
Nice work.

ZELENKA
Thanks. Good luck.

SHEPPARD
Thanks. We're gonna need it.

[Zelenka leaves as everyone else takes their seats.]

INT—ATLANTIS CONTROL ROOM

[Chuck is at his station. Zelenka comes down the staircase from the jumper bay.]

ZELENKA
All right. Dial it up.

[Chuck nods and dials the Stargate. The Stargate activates. There is an alarm buzzing Zelenka notices as he stares at his computer.]